The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-02

stone. Carbonc acid and line (CO Zone
equivalent of carbon and two equivalents OF oxy-
gen. Every 100 pounds of the Indiana ooltic lime
stone contains SO pounds of lime and "A pounds
of carboEic-acd gas. Every cubic foot OF the
stone contains 376 cubic feet feet Of carbonic
acid and If undertook to calculate the cubic
feet of carbonic- acid gas in the Subcarboniferous
limestones of Indiana alone, the result would be
simply appalling.
Many of the rnetamorpbic or crystalline rocks
have been derived from limestones and mag
nesian limestones. and the carbo1ic acid which
they contained was set free. Similar chemical
change is going in the earths crust.
Carbonic acid eco q coming in contact with
heated oxidizable minerals will readily give up
one equi vaent of its oxygen, and become car
bonic oxide (CO), a highly lnf1amaDle and
strong fuel gas.
Besides organic matter and limestones as a
source of gas there are the sulphur compounds,
which give off sulphuretcd hydrogen gas. (HSl
Water which is every where present in the
solid rocks combined free, is converted into
steam by heat (HO), and this steam coming
in contact with heated oxidizable substances
will part with its oxygen, and hydrogen gas is
set free and is ready to combine with carbon to
form carburetted hydrogen (CH Al From this
it will be seen that there are plenty of sources
from which natural gas was and is derived,
since there is no end to the chemical changes
that have been and now going on by the
play of matter upon matter, which through an
Interchange of affinities is striving to attain
stable condition; but when universal stability
shall be reached life will cease to exist and this
will be a dead world.
All limestones are of organic origin; their sub
stance is made up from shells, corals and other
animal remains.
AS stated above, by the decomposition of the
animals themselves, and plants, under suitable
conditions, carbureted hydrogen (CH4 is
eliminated, and the residue may be one OF the
various forms of coal or petroleum Ihere can
be question but that. under SUFFICIENT re-
straint. the liberated gas will accumulate on It
self until compressed to a solid or hquld form
and will force it's way into every crack or crew
ice it find until cover is reached that holds
it in confinement. Natural gas IN commercial
quantities. so far. has been obtained from two
geological horizons-Devonian In Pennsylvania,
West Virginia and Eastern kentucky, and the
Trenton period of the Lower Silurlan age In
Ohio and Indiana. The latter rocks underlle the
entire two States.
1t had long been supposed by the Pennsylvania
oil men that oil or could only be found in
quantity in porous sandstone, and limestone,
not being a porous rock, could furnish neither
in quantity. The discovery of both oil and gas
in large quantities i'll the Trenton in Ohio and
Indiana has upset the porousrock theory though
/ see that some philosophers are trying to make
porous rock out of the Trenton limestone.
Admit that rock where the gas comes from
is porous, and the pores filled with gas is it pos
sible for enough of the pores to be tapped by a
well few inches in diameter to yield the flow
that issues from many of the large wells. There
is no way to account for the large flows of gas
oil except that the bore has tapped cavity or
system of assures that are filled with gas or oil.
Tnerc must be n greater storage area than the
pores of any rock with which / acquainted.
In 1870 l collected water and gas at the cele-
brated French Lick Springs, in Orange county.
Indiana, for analysis. The free-gas that escaped
from the spring collected in glass tubes and
Theoretically sealed with the blow-pipe. filed
more tubes with the than were found neces-
sary for the analysis, and one of them remained
in a drawer at the laboratory for many years.
Tire gas was found to be carbonic acid tCO2)
ami sulphureted hydrogen ssh. nitrogen and
oxygen In the course of a few years found on
examining the tube containing the gas, left
over. that it contained a large drop of yellowish
oil like petroleum. This oil either mechap-
cally suspended as vapor it the result of
decomposition of the coz and HIS.
To fully understand the commercial value of
a natural gas, we should know its chemical com
position. which. with the improved modes of gas
ANALYSIS, be accurately determined I
should hardly expect to find the gas from any two
wells of the same exact composition. 1t isan
historical fact that in China there wells that
have been furnishing gas for fuel for over
thousand years. Gas from salt wells on the
Kanawha has been utilized Tor many years to
evaporate the salt brine. and there many
localities where wells bored for oil during the
early years of the oil excitement continue
to discharge to the present time But
how long a we'll will give out commercial guam
tty of gas in districts where numerous wells
being bored time alone
It has given me great satisfaction to learn of
many valuable gas wells being bored in Indi-
ana. and trust that others will ZEE found to
ward investigators and improve the industries of
the State. E. Il. Cox.